All hikers stranded by heavy snowfall on the Chinese side of Mt Everest, in the Xizang Autonomous Region, have been rescued after a rogue blizzard.
The snowstorm trapped nearly 1,000 people – including tourists, local guides and yak herders – at high altitude during the week-long break that began on National Day holiday, according to multiple media outlets.
October is typically peak trekking season around Everest, which is known as Mt Qomolangma in Chinese and Tibetan.
According to broadcaster CCTV, 580 trekkers and more than 300 local personnel safely reached a relocation point in Qudang, Dingri County, part of Xigaze (Shigatse) city. A further dozen were guided to safety by emergency teams carrying food, oxygen and medical supplies.
The snowstorm began late Friday and intensified through Saturday, dumping more than a metre of snow in some areas and crushing tents at campsites on the eastern slope of the world’s highest mountain. Hikers were stranded at altitudes around 4,900 metres and descent routes were cut off.
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Authorities mobilised hundreds of rescuers, supported by villagers with oxen and horses, to clear paths and reach those trapped. Rescue efforts were complicated by extreme cold, icy trails and low visibility.
Several scenic areas, including the Mount Qomolangma Scenic Area, were temporarily closed as conditions worsened. Officials said the operation to evacuate stranded hikers was concluded successfully by Tuesday, with all accounted for and receiving assistance to return home.
Extreme weather also caused problems elsewhere on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. One climber died from hypothermia and altitude sickness in Qinghai province’s Laohugou area, where 137 others were evacuated after heavy snow over the weekend.
Heavy rains in neighbouring Nepal, meanwhile, triggered landslides and floods that have killed at least 47 people since Friday.
